The GRA was founded in 2005 and refounded in 2007, with our population peak in 2010 at over 500 nations. We are a founding member of the FRA. We are known for our political innovation, including the infamous 'rotatorship' (rotating dictatorship), and also for our "unique" character. In the GRA dictionary entry for 'politeness', it simply says 'who the f*ck are you, signed, Uropa'. We're so badass, we don't even click 'safely eject hardware', we tear that bad boy right out.
In the immortal words of Jonewest, 'f*ck common courtesy, this is the GRA.'
GRAvasion: GRA Overseas Junkets
Hoping I've grabbed your attention by swearing twice in the header, but knowing attention on the internet is a precious commodity I will likely lose in a few short paragraphs, I thought best to put this at the top!
The GRA would like to propose what we are calling 'GRA junkets' to our friends' regions. This would involve what the FRA are unkindly calling a 'GRAvasion', or what may be more favourably called a 'visit' to your region, during which as many members of the GRA as I can round up would pop over, get involved in whatever chats are open to foreign visitors, helping with activity and perhaps providing a helpful outsider's view on issues of the day. Equally, we would appreciate a return of the favour. We think it's a nice way to spread activity and meet new people.
The kind of rocking parties you can expect when the GRA come to visit.
If you're interested, please let me know. I warn you, I will not be held responsible for Uropa's actions!
GRA and Aura Hyperia lead the way in crossing the divide
This month, the GRA and Aura Hyperia began diplomatic relations with the exchange of embassies, crossing the invader/defender barrier. Aura Hyperia would be described as imperialist, but hold themselves to a moral code of no griefing, and no permanent banjecting. Both agreed that it was a shame that elsewhere in the NS world, the invader/defender barrier has become so large that we cannot talk across the gap, as evidenced by the embassy refusals and restrictive maskings that have become increasingly common around our game. Joe Bobs commented, 'Some of the most fun embassies I've taken part in have been defender embassies in raider regions, and vice versa. Several years ago, the GRA had an embassy with LWU, and the baiting that took place made it one of our most active embassies.'
This story has taken on an unexpected development however, as Aura Hyperia have proposed joint activities between the two region's militaries in a war focused against The Black Riders. High General Jonewest and Foreign Affairs Minister Joe Bobs have taken this proposal to the People's Assembly for debate. If this action is taken, it would, to this reporter's knowledge, be the first time a joint Defender-Imperialist Army had launched war against a Raider, with exercises likely to involve all aspects of warfare, including detagging, defending and liberation.
The issue has become the subject of a fierce debate in the GRA, with Jonewest and Joe Bobs leading the Pro argument, alongside Mara Sargon and Frostmark from Aura Hyperia, and Sovereign Liberties with some support from FRA members leading the Con argument. Old Zertaxia was eventually persuaded by the Pro-side.
At the time of going to press, the latest development is the proposal of creating a new wing of the GRA military, the GRA Invader Nut Smashers (GRAINS). This allows the GRADF to retain it's purist defender ideology, whilst the GRAINS try other tactics.
Population Explosion
In under 6 weeks, the GRA's population has exploded from a measly 35 to a whopping 81 nations! Joe Bobs has pledged that the GRA will overtake 10,000 Islands as the largest UCR within the next two weeks.
(Ed note: It is not clear if penguins understand numbers. It is even more unlikely that drunk penguins understand numbers.)
Sadly, this month saw Love and Honour, Jivdom and Lower Bowmania's nations CTE, three of the greats of the GRA. We hope they come back to the GRA some day.
New Constitution
The People's Assembly have agreed on a new constitution, authored by Sovereign Liberties. Full text as follows:
The People's Declaration of Assembling
Article One People's Assembly
1.1 The People's Assembly is the supreme governing body of the region, the Global Right Alliance. The People's Assembly is composed of the enfranchised residents of the region, the citizenry. Residents gain enfranchisement with the approval of the Government.
1.2 The enactment of legislation requires proposal in the People's Assembly, deliberation for a minimum of forty-eight hours, and in an open vote lasting forty-eight hours, a simple majority for statutes and a three-fourths majority for amendments to this declaration.
1.3 The People's Assembly may dismiss the Government with a motion of no confidence, which is an open vote lasting forty-eight hours. Only one motion of no confidence may be proposed every seven days. The motion passes with a simple majority.
1.4 Whereupon a motion of no confidence is passed by the People's Assembly, the Speaker and the Government is dismissed and a new election for Speaker is held. Nominations begin immediately and end in forty-eight hours. Elections begin after nominations end and last for forty-eight hours. The candidate who commands a majority is elected Speaker. Elections repeat until a Speaker is elected.
1.5 Positive abstentions do not factor into the calculation of any required majorities.
Article Two Government
2.1 The Speaker is the President of the People's Assembly and first among equals of the citizenry. The Speaker is responsible for the passage of laws and for the governance of the region.
2.2 The Speaker may appoint and dismiss offices and officers to the Government of the region. The governance of the region includes the following:
2.2.1 the administration of foreign affairs, including the composition and distribution of foreign updates of the Government, and the representation of the region abroad;
2.2.2 the protection of the region in cooperation with the founder nation and the forum of the region in cooperation with the forum administration;
2.2.3 the administration of military affairs and intelligence;
2.2.4 the recruitment of nations to the region;
2.2.5 the integration of nations into the region and citizens into the Government;
2.2.6 the approval of citizenship;
2.2.7 the recording of the affairs of the region, including the maintenance of a record of the citizenry;
2.2.8 and the moderation and facilitation of nongovernmental activity and the promotion, management, and supervision of nongovernmental regional events.
2.3 In the event of the resignation of the Speaker, the aforementioned election procedure begins immediately.
Other laws being discussed at the time of going to press are a Bill of Rights, the Separation of Militaries Act, the In-Game Embassies Act, and a selection of so called 'Practical Laws'.
Expansion of Embassies
Joe Bobs has been mercilessly spamming the NS world in a ruthless bid of regional self-promotion, as you are no doubt aware, or else you wouldn't be reading this! He has released the following statement:
Whilst I know some may see my Foreign Affairs program as excessive, it is based on solid principles. Firstly, I enjoy it. I have always enjoyed spreading across the NS world, engaging with new communities and meeting new people. I wish to share this with my fellow GRAers, and I also wish to share the GRA with others. Secondly, I believe the GRA has always seen some of its best activity through foreign visitors, so I see this, along with recruitment, as one of the essential ways to build forum activity. I also hope that our embassies bring activity to our friends. Thirdly, I'm a strong believer in NS internationalism, I think the game is at its best when we have multi-regional engagement, across the divides of feederite and userite, defender and raider, independent and imperialist, role-play and game-play. I want the GRA to be a nexus whereby all these different groups can meet, and I hope our overseas readers will come and visit to share in this.
To this end, we are proud to announce new embassies with the following: Aura Hyperia, British Isles, Capitalist Paradise, Gatesville Inc, Independent Order, Mordor, NeoConfederate States of America, The New Galactic Empire, New Warsaw Pact, Osiris, Renegade Islands Alliance and Wintreath.
And we are pleased to announce the reopening of embassies with: Belgium-Netherlands, Canada, Caprecia & Nysa, Equilism, Gay, Region Inc and The West Pacific.
Jonewest commented: 'Joe Bobs has been overworking the hardly working administration staff to setup a huge array of embassies on the GRA Forums. While they may be held together by glue and bondage, for the most part the embassies look good!'
(Ed note: Image removed after Google search of 'glue and bondage' was found to violate most forums' Terms of Service...)
Jonewest Vs. Sovereign Liberties
This month saw a return to the classical language of the GRA: flame wars lasting multiple days over an arbitrary point no one can remember. Our best investigative journalists have found that the war may have begun with Sovereign Liberties' criticism of Jonewest's dismissive tone when asked to perform his Admin duties, but no one is quite certain. Both accused the other of being 'non-contributors', which has now, like so many slurs before, become a term of affection and fraternity in the GRA.
Jonewest commented as follows: 'Tensions rose, fell, and sandwiches were made for me afterwards. All has been reasoned and resolved, with a new word being added to the GRA Official Dictionary!' (Ed note: The word was 'no', which Jonewest has redefined not as a refusal, but a tool of Admins to put people in their place.) Jonewest has been a vocal opponent of the 'say no to drugs' campaign in the past, but is now launching his own 'say no to admin requests'.
Uropa held a poll into who was likely to win, in which, surprisingly, the winner was 'I'm a fwuffy penguin and want everyone to be friends Joe Bobs', 3 votes to 2 to 2.
Sovereign Liberties could not be reached for a comment, because he has chickenpox. We hope he gets well soon and has a bath in calamine.
Old Zertaxia is particularly frightened, as he can remember smallpox.
(Ed note: Sovereign Liberties is now well, but I enjoy the above picture too much to take it out. )
GRADF
The GRADF continues to operate as part of the FRA Rangers, whilst Jonewest modernises the institution. He has stated 'We are currently moving the GRADF into the modern age of strategy and tactics. With this lengthy procedure of moving data and resources from Windows 95 to Windows Millennium Edition computers it has been decided that the following honorary titles be bestowed on the following: Old Zertaxia - GRADF Whore, Northern Chittowa - GRA Watchdog, Uropa - Chief of the Military Police.
Old Zertaxia has responded: 'Even though the word "High" in High General Jonewest's title is clearly not in reference to an extremely elevated place, and rather a reference to his intoxicated state (for all you dumdums out there, Jonewest is f*cking high as balls whenever he attempt to do things, especially Admin things, especially create forums and not f*ck them up), I graciously and grandly accept the honor of GRABR Whore. Thank you.' He also added that he hates everyone.
New Formal Address for Admin Requests
After multiple attempts to make admins do things by throwing rocks at them, Joe Bobs has tried a different tactic, making the following plea in the Admin Request Thread:
Oh mighty admins, oh ye powerful gods of Olympus, won't thy spare me a moment of thine great and powerful minds that unravel the mists of time, of thine mighty and strong arms that crack apart the world and the sky, of thine watchful and all-seeing eyes that look beyond the reaches of the universe! I bid thee here my plea, I pray thee grant my wish, and thou will have an obedient and loyal servant who will bring more followers to they cause, and together all the world shall tremble and quake, and fear thee and they shall know, thine names are Old Zertaxia and Jonewest!
We hope he gets well soon and has a bath in calamine.
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